TO LEARN OR TO UNLEARN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Like most middle class parents, I am extremely concerned about whether my kids are learning or not.  I want them to learn something – be it calculus, medicine, origami, politics, economics, music  –something !  Learn, learn…

Three experiences I had in the area of learning …

ONE

My son (age 16) has said for a while that he wants to study Mathematics.  And he is sincere about it.  Not being a mathematician, I can’t say how good he is.  So I took him to a gentleman who I was assured is a Man Of Mathematics.  (Today the said gentleman is my friend and I daresay that indeed he is a Man Of Mathematics).

So we went to his place and I open up the conversation about my son’s interests, the exams he has cleared  thus far, what he intends to do etc.  All the while the gentleman is smiling benignly, nodding his head.  After some time he starts a mild question/answer session with my son:-

“What is the sum of the angles of a triangle?”

“180 degrees”.

“Can you prove it?”

“Yes, they taught us in school”.

“How can you prove it?”

“Draw a triangle, draw a line through a vertex parallel to the opposite side.  Then using the fact that alternate angles are equal, … … …”

“Good – can you prove that alternate angles are equal?”

“Uh uh … yes … I think … “

And thus it went on … with the question “Can you prove it?” punctuating the conversation regularly.  If I remember correctly, within minutes my son answered “NO” to a “Can you prove it” question.

At the end of it we were advised that this is the process of “unlearning” which students must put themselves through.

We were also advised to refer to a book Men Of Mathematics by ET Bell.

TWO

So we bought a copy of the book.  The first chapter I read was on Rene Descartes.  I had followed Descartes for his “I doubt therefore I think.  I think therefore I am.  If you were to be a true seeker of truth, then at least once in your life you would doubt everything” quote.  The book introduced us to Descartes the mathematician.  After reading the chapter on RD, I sent the following post to my friends…

For all those who are late risers...Rene Descartes went to his first school at the age of 8. He was a pale, weak child. The principal liked him and told him he could sleep as late as he wanted and could come to the classroom only when he felt upto it. The many mornings that Descartes spent lying in bed, thinking and meditating,  from the age of 8 until the age of 17 are said to have led to him figuring out Analytical Geometry which is one of the pillars of modern mathematics.
Statutory warning: This is taken from a book which chronicles the lives of great modern mathematicians. The book is largely fact and partly fiction. Infer with due caution.:-)

In short, Descartes spent childhood mornings in bed “unlearning”.

THREE

I took my son to visit a renowned scientist (Physicist) at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.  A very good friend, when he heard that my son in interested in Math, forced me to go and meet the scientist, who is a close relative of his.  I believe my friend thought he is a Mathematician.  Or may be he thought “Maths…Physics…same  &*^%”.  So I went with his “referral”.  The good scientist was least bothered about who had referred us.  He was more than happy to give us his time.

A similar experience as ONE ensued here.  We got a patient hearing, I saw the same benign smile.  In fact I believe in this case there was indulgence too in the smile.  The theme of the conversation was similar to the one in ONE above…

“Do you know there are triangles, the sum of whose angles is more than 180 degrees?”

“How can one measure the temperature of the Sun sitting here, using nothing other than a glass full of water and a thermometer?”

And eventually the gentleman spoke about the importance of “unlearning”.

Three wise men have advised us to unlearn.  Surely there must be something to this?  We are yet trying to figure out what.  But meanwhile, I would suggest as parents all of us look at this advice as possibly nourishing food for serious thought.

P.S. Don’t hunt for coaching classes on unlearning.  I tried and failed - there are none.  I am now convinced it is an oxymoron.